Ever wonder why we're so drawn to celebrity romances? There’s just something about them, isn’t there? The glamour, the sparkle, the sheer escapism of it all. It was all I could think about last night so, let’s unpack this a bit today, shall we?
Just to be clear when I say celebrity I mean anyone famous but you might think of a musician, actor, model, hockey player, chef and so much more.
The Allure of the Unattainable
Celebrities often seem untouchable and out of reach, living in a world of wealth, fame, and endless possibilities. The idea of an ordinary person capturing the heart of someone who seems unattainable is a powerful draw for many of us. It's the ultimate fantasy, a chance to escape into a world where anything's possible.
I don't think that's all there is to it though.
I'd say at its core, our love of celebrity romance stems from the fact we've all had the fantasy.
You know the one.
The fantasy or dream where somehow we gain the attention of our celeb crush and they walk into our places of work, turn up on our doorsteps, or just appear in the weirdest of place and sweep us off our feet.
Wish Fulfilment and the Fantasy of Being Seen
Hands up, who remembers their first celebrity crush?
I know you have at least one in your mind right now. I asked this question at my first signing last year, IndieLove Cardiff, and no one person failed me.
Mine was Angel from Buffy. Then it was Ryan from The OC. Later Dean from Supernatural and Peter Bishop from Fringe. My teenage years—and my twenties (heck, I'm still not over celebrity crushes; why else would I write celebrity romance?)—were filled with daydreams about these characters.
Now, imagine bumping into one of them at a coffee shop, or accidentally swapping phones with them. Sounds like the start of a dream, right? This scenario taps into a deep-seated desire for the extraordinary, the surreal encounters we daydream about but rarely experience.
That's the core of celebrity romance— the ultimate fantasy that allows us to indulge in scenarios where the impossible becomes possible.
Celebrity romances allow us to indulge in the "what if" scenarios we've dreamed about, like meeting a celebrity in an ordinary setting and having them fall in love with us, a totally regular person. It's not just about the celebrity choosing someone ordinary; it's about the celebrity seeing something special in them, recognising and appreciating their unique qualities. And then falling madly in love with us at first sight.
In Chasing Alys, Ryan is drawn to Alys because she doesn't fawn over him like everyone else. Her unexpected reaction intrigues him, making him determined to win her over. This plays into our deep-seated desire to be seen and chosen, even by someone who could have anyone they want.
The Juxtaposition of Ordinary and Extraordinary
The contrast between the everyday life of the protagonist and the glamorous world of the celebrity creates an exciting tension that keeps us craving more.
I absolutely live for the fish-out-of-water moments where our FMC gets dropped into the most foreign circumstances.
Black AMEX shopping spree? Yes, please.
Red carpet brimming with bloody thirsty paparazzi? *rubs hands together*
I found putting Ros through some of those out-of-the-ordinary experiences in Fashionably Fake particularly fun. Private jets, crazy fans, private dining experiences, paparazzi in the bushes. You just know you can rely on her to call it exactly what it is. Ridiculous.
But I also love the quieter moments that are less expected in celebrity life. Like finding the one person in the whole country who has no idea who he is and watching him fall head first for her first.
Growing up, TV shows, films, and magazines taught us to play it cool and keep it aloof—classic teenage advice we devoured at thirteen. Well, my heroines like to take that advice to heart. Alys in particular.
Ryan expected her to be starstruck when they met. When she wasn't, it threw him off his game in the best possible way. There's something hilariously satisfying about seeing a celebrity a bit baffled and off their game, isn't there?
The Humanisation of Celebrities
Celebrity romances give us a peek behind the curtain, showing us the real, human side of famous people, making them more relatable and accessible. It's not all red carpets and paparazzi—they have fears, flaws, and vulnerabilities, just like us.
When I started writing Needing Emily I kind of knew it would take a turn into the complexities of unexpected commitments rather than mere idol worship.
For a woman who was more than ready to commit in Chasing Alys, she did a complete one-eight between her ex cheating on her and Jared putting her through the ringer.
But Owen is totally different.
He's possibly the sweetest cinnamon roll I've ever written. Yes, I'd say he gives Ryan a run for his money. All that man wanted to do was make her happy, but he wasn't prepared for Emily Roberts.
She wasn't some starstruck fan; she knew who he was and respected his work but wasn't dreaming of a fairy tale ending. She felt like she'd just gotten a piece of herself back she hadn't known she needed to cherish.
When they end up married, it's not the culmination of a fan's dream but a complicated, real-life scenario she's thrust into. Emily's decision to run portrays the conflict between maintaining independence and committing to a relationship, especially when tied to someone with a consuming public identity.
And it would be all-consuming, no matter how tantalising the fantasy of a rock star or famous actor falling for us.
As much as we want to see the real person behind the shiny facade, we would have to deal with all the ways life is more restrictive for them and sympathise in a way most people aren’t willing to do.
The Happy Ending We're All Rooting For
At the end of the day, we all want that happily ever after.
And celebrity romances deliver, big time.
There's something extra satisfying about seeing a couple overcome the unique challenges that come with fame and societal differences.
Even with Emily running from Owen and their marriage, we know we're going to get a HEA. We're just going to have to fight for it in ways no "normal" person has to.
We all know I love a good angsty romance, so is it any wonder that I'd be drawn to a subgenre of romance that throws so many exterior hurdles at a couple?
I always aim to strip the celebrity aspect back to the raw, dirty basics. What does life truly look like beneath all that glam and adoration? Are they truly happy?
In most of my books, the answer is “Yes, but.”
How could they not be happy when all their wildest dreams have come true? They have the job, the money, the glamour, the attention they always craved. Only there’s a little piece that’s not right, something missing, or the fame is more restrictive than they imagined and it’s starting to chaff. Then I storm in with my feisty heroines and tear up their carefully managed existences and replace it all with a hard-won happiness, one that requires sacrifice, compromise, and a willingness to prioritise love over fame.
Celebrity romance novels capture our hearts because they speak to our deepest desires and fears. They allow us to dream, to escape, and to find emotional fulfilment in the most unlikely of places. They remind us that love can conquer all (promise I didn’t snigger writing that. Much), even the seemingly insurmountable barriers of wealth, status, and public scrutiny.
So the next time you find yourself drawn to a celebrity romance, embrace it. Let yourself be swept away by the fantasy, the glamour, and the promise of a love that defies all odds. Because isn't that what romance is all about?
